Neck Mounting
Neck mounting is more than just a trick. When taught properly is fun and a win/win situation for you and your pony. It is also a technique that can be used in an emergency situation.
Failure to use a mounting block can cause pain and damage muscles in the wither area and is one of the main reasons many ponies move whilst being mounted, which can be very dangerous.
Benefits:
The neck mounting technique makes mounting easier for:
Neck mounting is more than just a trick. When taught properly is fun and a win/win situation for you and your pony. It is also a technique that can be used in an emergency situation.
Failure to use a mounting block can cause pain and damage muscles in the wither area and is one of the main reasons many ponies move whilst being mounted, which can be very dangerous.
Benefits:
The neck mounting technique makes mounting easier for:
- bareback riders;
- riders using a saddle pad;
- riders mounting a horse or pony that is 'too big' for them; (which we don't advise)
- riders who want to ensure that they don't hurt their pony's withers while mounting, by hanging onto the saddle (from the ground) via the stirrup;
- trail-riders - when there is no mounting block available;
- riders in an emergency situation - if a rider is alone and injured perhaps disabled from a broken limb, a horse that has learned this technique might well become a ticket out of a bad situation.
The pony learns the Neck Mounting technique through pressure & release and positive reinforcement.
NOTE: DO NOT TRY OR ATTEMPT THESE TECHNIQUES! YOU COULD GET SEVERELY HURT or EVEN DIE.
The Line Up
Does it feel like its "mission impossible" for you when you are trying to mount onto your pony's back? Does your pony run the other way when you come out with a bridle or when you show him/her the saddle?
If this is happening, your pony is telling you something. The message is "I don't want to go for a ride because there's nothing positive in it for me!!!"
The secret is for you to provide something positive for your pony so that he/she WANTS you to climb into the saddle. The Line Up technique is designed to change how your pony thinks about you getting on his/her back.
The Line Up technique when taught properly is fun and a win/win situation for you and your pony. It is also a safety technique. Failure to use a mounting block can cause pain and damage muscles in the wither area and is one of the main reasons many ponies move whilst being mounted,
which can be very dangerous.
Benefits:
The line up mounting technique makes mounting easier:
If this is happening, your pony is telling you something. The message is "I don't want to go for a ride because there's nothing positive in it for me!!!"
The secret is for you to provide something positive for your pony so that he/she WANTS you to climb into the saddle. The Line Up technique is designed to change how your pony thinks about you getting on his/her back.
The Line Up technique when taught properly is fun and a win/win situation for you and your pony. It is also a safety technique. Failure to use a mounting block can cause pain and damage muscles in the wither area and is one of the main reasons many ponies move whilst being mounted,
which can be very dangerous.
Benefits:
The line up mounting technique makes mounting easier:
- for bareback riders;
- for riders who want to teach their pony to stand still while being mounted;
- for riders who want to teach their pony to wait for a signal before moving off after the rider has mounted;
- for riders who want their pony to come to them voluntarily - inviting the rider to climb aboard its back - instead of protesting or running away from the rider;
- by riders/owners who want to change their pony's attitude to being mounted
The Paw Trick
The Paw/Counting Trick
Benefits
The Paw/Counting trick is helpful for:
Benefits
The Paw/Counting trick is helpful for:
- teaching the Spanish walk;
- a good party trick;
- an avenue for ponies to respectfully communicate with you;
- an avenue for rescue/abused ponies to heal emotionally; the importance of this trick is that the emotionally closed down pony needs to feel that if they try to communicate with you, you will listen and that you care about his/her wants
The Paw/Counting trick should be taught with treats or a scratch reward from the ground first - either from a hand/foot signal, or from a tap on the shoulder before moving on to the under-saddle paw trick and Spanish walk.
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The Bow
This is one of the most difficult tricks to teach due to it being an unnatural maneuver.
Positive reinforcement is the key to having your pony cooperative and WANTING to learn this trick.
I find the best way that the Bow is learnt is through clicker training, using the click to teach that a reward has been earned for good efforts. With the positive rewards, the pony learns step by step, little by little, till the bow is perfected.
This is a very difficult move for ponies so don't over do it by repeating it too often or you can overwhelm your ponies and cause them to become resistant. Little and often, rewarding their efforts, is the best way.
Benefits
The Bow trick is:
Positive reinforcement is the key to having your pony cooperative and WANTING to learn this trick.
I find the best way that the Bow is learnt is through clicker training, using the click to teach that a reward has been earned for good efforts. With the positive rewards, the pony learns step by step, little by little, till the bow is perfected.
This is a very difficult move for ponies so don't over do it by repeating it too often or you can overwhelm your ponies and cause them to become resistant. Little and often, rewarding their efforts, is the best way.
Benefits
The Bow trick is:
- a good party trick;
- a precursor to teaching your pony to lie down;
The Smile
The Smile is an easy trick to teach food motivated ponies. The pony puts his/her top lip up in response to a signal from the trainer. We call that a smile.
I use positive reinforcement, usually treats.
While holding a treat in my hand I ask the horse to smile by touching its top lip. The pony will try to grab the treat in his/her mouth that's when I say "Good girl/boy" or click and immediately give them the give the reward.
Benefits
The Smile trick is:
I use positive reinforcement, usually treats.
While holding a treat in my hand I ask the horse to smile by touching its top lip. The pony will try to grab the treat in his/her mouth that's when I say "Good girl/boy" or click and immediately give them the give the reward.
Benefits
The Smile trick is:
- a good party trick;
- a precursor to teaching your pony to 'kiss' or 'talk';
- a good lesson for teaching your pony that they cannot disrespect you by grabbing the treat out of your hands.
